The Way Back Home
by ZZ Eclipse
Summary: Set in 1910. Josie Rizal has lived in Mexico all her life, fleeing from the evil Spanish armies in the Philippines. Now, 18 years later, she must survive the horrors of war again as a Revolutionary War sweeps the nation. With the help of a drunk and two fiery rivals, Josie must make her way across the war-torn nation to find her way back home.
1. Chapter 1

**In the 19th Century, Spain saw her Empire crumble away as colonies like Chile, Peru, Mexico and Cuba rose in arms and achieved their independence. In the Philippines, Spain faced the threat of yet another revolution due to the mounting social unrest among the natives. At the age of 35, doctor, novelist and activist Jose Rizal faced the wrath of Spain, accused of sparking the fires of rebellion within the island colonies. With Spanish forces rushing to arrest him, Jose Rizal and three of his companions hurry to ensure the safe passage of his young daughter out of the Philippines before all hell breaks loose...**

* * *

 **Rizal Residence**

 **Manila, Philippines**

 **July 7, 1892**

* * *

"Josie... Josie..."

The child stirred in her covers.

" _Anak_."

"Papa? What is it?"

"Wake up," Josie's father said, adjusting the flame on the lamp near her bed. "Time to go."

The glow flickered and illuminated the room as Josie sat up in her bed and watched as her father rummaged through her clothes, filling a small cloth sack.

"Where are we going, papa? She asked him. Her father stopped what he was doing and stopped to look at her. His eyes were wide and filled with tears.

"I'm sending you somewhere safe, _anak_."

The door to their house burst open and three men rushed in.

" _Jose, Jose._ _Bilis!_ " One of them yelled.

" _Alam ko,_ " Josie's father barked back, handing the sack of clothes to him and turning to Josie.

" _Anak_ , come," he extended his arms to her. "It's time to go."

The commotion frightened the little girl but she obeyed her father and jumped into his arms. Her father placed one of his hats on her head as the group ran out into the summer night rain.

Josie's father wrapped a warm blanket around her as they boarded a carriage that was waiting for them outside.

"Doctor Rizal," yelled the man in the front of the carriage. "We must hurry, the window of opportunity is closing fast."

"We're in!" Josie's Father yelled once everyone was inside and out of the rain. "Go!"

The crack of thunder above drowned out the crack of the reigns as the two horses pulled the carriage away.

The rain made the rough roads even more treacherous and Josie clung on to her father as the storm raged outside.

" _Bakit_?" the man was saying to her father. " _Bakit ayaw mo?_ You're an enemy of the state now, Jose, and the Spanish are on their way to get you."

"I'm innocent of the charges," her father responded.

"If you stay, you will surely die! The archbishop will not rest until you are dead."

"Then I'll die with a clean conscience," Rizal said calmly.

" _Por Dios_ , Rizal!" yelled a second man with a thick Spanish accent, the one called Oscar. "Think of your daughter! Josephine is gone! Who will look after Josie?"

Josie's father looked down at her and brought her close to him with his arm.

"This is for her own good," Rizal told his three companions. "They will not spare her if they find her. Bonifacio believes war is imminent, and the Filipino people will not suffer the Spanish for much longer. And the Mexicans have no love for Spain. She'll be safe there... Is the ship ready?"

"The Katipunan have arranged everything."

"Good... Oscar... take good care of my baby girl, please."

The ride was silent for the next hour as the rain kept thundering down on them.

" _Anak_ , sleep, _na_ " Josie's father told her. "It's late."

"I can't," Josie said. "The storm scares me."

Dr. Jose Rizal looked out of the window. The smell of ocean water was thick in the air now and he knew that his time with his daughter was almost over. He cradled Josie in his arms.

" _Estas son las mananitas que cantaba el Rey David,"_ he began singing softly to her, stroking her wet hair back. _"Hoy por ser dia de tu santo te las cantamos a ti. Despierta, Josie, Despierta. Mira que ya amanecio. Ya los pajarillos cantan, la luna ya se metio..."_

Josie didn't understand the lyrics, but listening to her father's soft voice, she leaned against his gray coat and fell asleep, not knowing it was the last time that she would see him.


	2. Chapter 2

_**18 YEARS LATER...**_

Farmacia Milagro  
Las Rosas, Mexico  
June 27, 1910

 _Mahal kong Ama,_

 _It has been two years since I last wrote to you now._

 _I'm sorry for not writing to you sooner. The truth is we've been very busy with the pharmacy. I've learned so much working here with Don Oscar. He thinks I will make a great_ boticaria _one day. He always tells me how much I remind him of you when you were my age._

 _Till this day I haven't received a single letter from you, though I'm sure the unstable situation in our beloved_ Islas Filipinas _must be interfering with the correspondence. If only you could see what I've seen, and all that we've accomplished here, I know you would be proud of me._

 _I continue to hope and pray for the day I can see you again, my dear father._

 _I hope you have been well._

 _Awaiting your response,_

 _Your daughter,_

 _Josie._

Josie put down the pen and looked up at the old black hat sitting on her desk. The hat her father had given her to protect her from the rain that night so many years ago had turned out to be a parting gift. She had never seen or received letters from him ever since. She kept staring at the old hat and sighed.

Putting the new letter inside an envelope, she got up from the desk and laid down on her bed. Her adoptive father, Don Oscar had left earlier on a trip to Mexico City and would not be back for days, leaving her to run their pharmacy alone. She really had improved and the fact that Don Oscar had left her behind this time instead of taking her along like always showed his trust in her.

She brought the sheets up to her waist and reached over to the night stand, adjusting the wick on the lamp. When she was satisfied with the light, she picked up the book that sat next to it.

She ran her fingers over the three large, bold-letter words on the cover: _Noli Me Tangere._

It had been written by her father before she was born. She had discovered it in Don Oscar's library as she was cleaning the pharmacy's office, and she had become utterly intoxicated with the novel and it's dark yet romantic theme. Eagerly, she flipped through the pages.

An old, crumbly photograph of her father, the only photo she had of him, served as her bookmark. With a wide grin she started reading in a low voice...

" _How long have you been away from the country?" Laruja asked Ibarra.  
_ " _Almost seven years."  
_ " _Then you have probably forgotten all about it."  
_ " _Quite the contrary. Even if my country does seem to have forgotten me, I have always thought about it."_

* * *

It was well past midnight when Josie was suddenly driven awake by the panicked screaming and banging on the door.

" _Auxilio!_ " The woman outside shouted. " _Por favor, Auxilio!_ "

Josie jumped out of bed and stumbled across the dark room. She quickly threw on some clothes and ran downstairs, skipping two or three steps as the woman outside grew more frantic.

Josie dashed over to the front door of the pharmacy, unbolted the locks and came face to face with a girl close to her age. Her eyes were wide with panic and her dark brown hair was a mess over her face.

" _Senorita_ , the pharmacy is closed," Josie started to say.

"Please, _doctora_ , you have to help me!" The young woman shrieked.

"No, no, _el doctor_ is not here," Josie insisted but the woman fell to her knees and started to sob.

"Please, I don't have any money but I have two horses. Take them both. Please help me!"

Josie sighed as she looked over the crying girl.

"Okay, _senorita_ , just calm down and tell me what you need."

"My brother," the girl sobbed. "I found him in the streets unconscious and I can't wake him up!"

Immediately, Josie's mind snapped into emergency mode. Though she was not a doctor, she had been learning from Don Oscar as his assistant. Immediately, she grabbed Don Oscar's medical bag and the two women took off into the night.

Thirty minutes outside the small town of _Las Rosas_ was a small ranch. The two women finally made it to the front of the house and burst in.

"This way, _por aqui_ ," the woman led Josie through the house and into a small room in the very back.

Three candles barely lit the room and it took Josie a moment to adjust to the dimness and scent of the room. On the bed laid a large man with a short beard and wildly curly hair. He was so tall, his legs were actually touching the floor.

The woman came up to him and knelt down beside him.

"Miguel, I've brought a doctor to help you," she said.

" _Dios mio_ , what happened to him?" Josie said, opening the bag and setting her things on the bedside table.

"I don't know! He didn't come home last night and when I went looking for him I found him like this."

"He's got a few broken bones and wounds." Josie said as she looked over him. She placed two fingers on his throat and nodded. "He's still alive, but barely. I'm going to need some space to work on him."

The woman looked back at the large man for a moment then nodded. Quickly she stepped out of Josie's way and closed the door behind her.

"Okay, Miguel," Josie said, mostly to herself to relieve the tension of the long night ahead. "I _never_ remove the guy's clothes on the first night, so consider yourself lucky."

She tied her hair back, gently removed his bloody clothes and got to work on him.

* * *

The sun was already out by the time she was finished with him.

Josie washed her hands and packed her things. She was about to leave when Miguel stirred in his bed.

"Where am I?" he croaked weakly.

"Oh, you finally woke up! Welcome back, curly locks," Josie said, pouring a liquid into a glass and bringing it to him. "Drink this," she placed the cup on his lips.

Miguel's face wrinkled and he spat the foul tasting medicine out.

"What the hell is this, horse piss?" He demanded.

"Don't be ridiculous, it's medicine to help with your stomach," Josie exclaimed, putting the cup back to his lips. " _Sige na_ , drink!"

Miguel looked at her and back at the cup. With a growl he opened his mouth and drank the medicine.

"Thank you," Josie said, taking the cup back to her bag.

"So what are you a doctor?" Miguel said, as he tried to sit up in bed.

"I'm a pharmacist," Josie corrected him with her back turned. "I'm here to make you feel better- Don't do that!"

Miguel howled in pain as one of his wounds reopened in his attempts to get up.

"Hold still!" Josie yelled, pushing him back down and pressing a bandage against the open wound.

" _Joder_!" Miguel cursed, wincing.

"Breathe slowly," Josie said in a soothing voice, never taking the bandage from his wound.

Slowly he began to calm down and his arms came to rest on Josie's exposed thighs. That's when she realized she was practically on top of him.

" _Doctora_ ," Miguel said with wide grin in his face. "You've removed my clothes and made me feel better. Allow me to return the favor."

Miguel's boldness both flattered and infuriated her.

"Like I told you before," she said. " _Never_ on the first night!"

With that she pressed the bandage hard, making Miguel groan in pain again.

"Keep pressure on that," Josie said, climbing off the bed and gathering her things. "I'm going to leave a bottle of medicine with your sister. Take two doses daily and you should be good in a few days. Come back to me for a checkup as soon as you're feeling better."

"Not going to give me a 'get well' kiss, at least?" Miguel called as Josie turned to leave.

Josie turned back to him. "What, don't you prefer a lollipop instead?"

"Sure," the curly man chuckled, putting his enormous arms over his head. "I would love to taste your sweetness any day!"

"Go to hell," Josie stormed out of the room furiously. Miguel laughed, admiring the tall Filipina's curves as she slammed the door behind her.

"If he's hitting on you he must be feeling better already," the young woman commented as Josie walked to the living room. Josie shook her head.

"Here," Josie said, giving the girl a bottle of medicine. "He hates this but it will help him recover faster."

"If he hates it it will be more fun to make him drink it," she laughed. Her beautiful features were outlined with tiredness and worry. Still, she had a beautiful smile.

She extended an arm out and took Josie's hand in hers.

"My name is Isabel. What's your name, _doctora_?"

Josie returned the greeting.

" _Un placer,_ Isabel _._ I'm Josie Rizal Bracken. And I'm not a doctor."

"Well, you certainly have a good pair of hands on you," Isabel complimented. "Thank you for saving my brother. I don't have any money but the two horses are yours. My brother's life is worth to me more than them."

"Hmm how about you give me a ride back to town on those horses and we'll call it even?" Josie offered. "After tonight I don't think I can make it back walking."

"Oh yes, of course," Isabel said.

"Isabel," Miguel called from inside his room. "Tell her she can stay here. There's plenty of space in my bed for two."

"Let's go." Isabel said.

"Yes, please!"

* * *

"So why did you decide to study medicine?" Isabel asked, breaking the silence between them as they rode back to town. Josie's thoughts were broken as she glanced back from her view of the mountains.

"Mostly because of my father, I guess," she said. "He's an Ophthalmologist in the Philippines."

"Right..." Isabel said with a confused look.

"Although for someone who helps his clients see, he hasn't seen _me_ in years. Ever since I moved down here, really." Immediately she regretted saying that aloud. The doubt that her father had never come to see her or even write to her because he was so busy with his job had been stuck in her head for the past years but she never wanted to acknowledge it.

"Do you have family here?" Isabel asked, changing the subject.

"Well, my mother died of tuberculosis when I was a little girl, and my father's family is all in the Philippines. The only family I know is Don Oscar, my caretaker, teacher and boss." She laughed.

Don Oscar had been much more than that. He'd been a mentor, a fellow student in medicine, a business partner... a father.

"What about you and the _Kulot Salot_?" Josie asked

"We have no parents," Isabel said with a hint of disdain in her voice. "Miguel and I ran away when we were little and we've been taking care of each other ever since."

"No boyfriend?" Josie teased.

"I'm getting married in half a year," she confessed. "But Miguel doesn't like my fiancee. I'm... worried of what he might do, or might happen to him, when I leave with my husband."

"He was near death last night and trying to get up just a few hours later, I'm sure he will be alright," Josie laughed.

"Yeah... what about you?" It was Isabel's turn to tease. "No boyfriend."

"No time!" Josie said. "I'm way too busy for a relationship right now."

"My brother's single, sorta, if you're interested..."

"Pass!"

The two women continued talking until they reached _Las Rosas_. Isabel said her goodbye and went back home. Josie smiled with pride at her accomplishment.

 _Wait until Don Oscar finds out!_

Her smile was broken when she turned the corner.

A large group was blocking the corner that lead to her house.

Josie fought her way to the front of the suffocating mob and her mouth dropped.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she saw the house she had grown up in completely in flames.

"No!" She screamed and ran, but a man grabbed her.

"No, senorita! It's too late!"

"Let me go!" she roared and ripped herself from the man's grasp. She had too much to lose in that house. The hat her father gave her, her books, all the memories she had left and their pharmacy that had taken them years to establish.

She got as far as the first steps when a large explosion from within shook the ground. Josie was sent flying back as flames obliterated her house.

" _Senorita_ Rizal _!"_ She heard distantly. _"Senorita_ Rizal _!"_

Then her world went black.


End file.
